South Korea court issues warrant to detain president Yoon for up to 20 days

South Korea's court issued a warrant early Sunday to detain the arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol for up to 20 days, raising a possibility that he would be indicted under detention for insurrection charge over his botched martial law imposition.

The Seoul Western District Court accepted the warrant request that was made Friday by the joint investigation unit, composed of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), the National Office of Investigation (NOI), and the defense ministry's investigative headquarters.

The embattled Yoon decided to attend the five-hour hearing to explain the legitimacy of his martial law declaration and restore his reputation, according to Yoon's defense counsel.

Yoon claimed that the martial law imposition was an act of presidential governance, which could not be subject to a court trial, but investigative agencies said Yoon declared the martial law for no reason with the announcement of a martial law decree illegally banning the political activity of lawmakers who have right to lift the martial law.

With the warrant issuance, the possibility grew that Yoon would be prosecuted under detention for insurrection charge.

Before the indictment, Yoon will be questioned by the CIO for the initial 10 days, including an arrest period, and by the prosecution for the latter 10 days as the two sides agreed to jointly investigate Yoon's insurrection charge.

Related Asia-Pacific News

Thane man kills brother over Rs 500

Thane: A 32-year-old man allegedly killed his younger brother after an argument over Rs 500 in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said. The incident took place on Tuesday night in Kalyan area, they said, adding the accused has been arrested. The accused, Salim Shamim Khan, who was inebriated....

8 injured after bomb hits police vehicle in NW Pakistan

At least eight persons were injured in a bomb blast that hit a police vehicle in Bannu district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday, police said. Local police said that a roadside bomb explosion hit the vehicle during its patrol in Sorangi area of the district,....

179 passengers dead in South Korea plane crash

The death toll touyches 179 in a plane crash that occured at Muan International Airport on Sunday. A Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air carrying 181 passengers, including six crew, caught fire during landing after reportedly experiencing landing gear issues around 9:07 a.m. local time (0007GM....

3 killed, 7 injured in hotel fire in Thailand

BANGKOK: Three people were killed and seven others injured as a fire broke out at a hotel in the Thai capital Bangkok, the local fire department said on Monday. The fire broke out at a six-story hotel near Bangkok's popular backpacker area of Khao San Road, at about 9:21 p.m. local time (1421....

About 35 miners trapped under rubble in Afghanistan: police

KABUL: About 35 miners were trapped under the rubble of a coal mine in northern Afghanistan's Samangan province on Saturday,according o officials. The officials said rescue teams and health personnel have been dispatched to the area to rescue the trapped miners.